Superheater-manifold for internal-combustion engines



.w. P. DEPPE.

SUPERHEATER MANIFOLD FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICAUON FILED APR. 20, 19!? Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w. P. DEPPE. SUPERHEATER MANIFOLD FOR JNTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICAUON FILED APR. 20, I917 Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

a citizen of the United States, and a resident wILLIan r. Berra, or natsr'rosln, NEW YORK.

surnarmniiammrrozn i on. mrmmn-comausrron ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

Application filed April 2.0, 1917. Serial No. 163,355.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. DEPPIS,

of Bay Shore, county of Suffolk, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Superheater- Manifolds for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the manifold whereby the fuel mixture from the carbureter is adapted to be atomized and heated in successive stages so as to produce a substantially complete dry gaseous mixture for delivery to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine or to other apparatus requiring a gaseous mixture of this character.

My improved manifold is adapted for use with the ordinary wet mixture carbureter and I preferably use therewith my improved centrally-opening throttle valve carburetor, substantially shownin my Patent No. 1,163,223 of December 7, 1915.

It is well known that the supply and production of gasolene does not e ual the increased demand for volatile liquid fuels due to the enormous growth of the automobile industry in this country and throughout the world. .F or this reason, chemists and experimenters have for years endeavored to find suitable substitutes for gasolene or means for utilizing volatile fluids, which under proper conditions can be made to approach very nearly the efficiency of true gasolene. Up; to the present time, no such substitute for gasolene has been found,

hence, the. industry must depend upon mixtures of gasolene with other volatile fluids such as lower grades of the petroleum oils such as kerosene, or upon benzol or other coal or/natural gas products as well as upon alcohol in order to make the gasolene output go as far as possible to meet the enormous requlrements at the present time. The number of automobiles in use in this country is increasing rapidly while the output of gasolene and similar products is not increasing and cannot be increased to any great extent unless some as yet unknown .oil fields are discovered. As an industrial product, alcoholv has been recommended and used to a limited extent, and very likely will be used more and more as the scarcity of gasolene increases.

It is well known that pure alcohol will mix readily with benzoland other liquid hydrocarbon products and this mixture can be used under proper conditions as a fuel for internal combustion engines. These hybrid mixtures, however, cannot be-satisfactorily utilized with the ordinary carbureter and manifold construction because of the differ once in volatility of 'the various liquids making up the mixture. Ordinary attempts to apply heat to these mixtures have not resulted satisfactorily because this fact, that 1s, the varlable volatility of the liquid fuels,

' vided for making out of the hybrid mixture has not been taken into consideration and r a complete dry gas which will remain as a dry gas after introduction into cylinders of v the engine, it cannot fulfil the requirements as a substitute for straight gasolene. If a dry gas of this character is so produced and introduced into the cylinders of the engine and maintained as such during the intake and. compression strokes, it can be exploded by the ignition spark at once and complete combustion will follow, thereby giving the greatest efficiency and under proper engine conditions, therefore will be capable of delivering all of the power represented by the heat units developed.

The object of my improved super-heater manifold is to prepare fromhybrid mixturesof gasolene, kerosene, benzol, alcohol or the like, a superheated practically dry gaseous .mixture for delivery to the cylinders of the engines, which gaseous mixture will remain at a sufficiently high temperature when it fills the cylinder to prevent precipitation of those portions of the mixture derived from liquids havinghigher boiling points. My apparatus not only produces this effect, but I have found that the heat of compression still further raises the temperature, thus insuring complete and rapid firin of the mixture at or before the engine reac es dead center. By this means, I am able to obtain from hybrid mixtures the full heat equivalent in power delivered to the engine and eliminate carbon deposits and the excessive use of lubricants.

My apparatus is intended to knead the fuel mixtures, as"it were, and heat it proheating it on both sides is the best way to gressively in stages, thetemperature at the last stage. being considerably higher than at the beginning. The kneading process is carried out by flat and round portions in the manifold tube and by alternately-'varying the cross-sectional area of the tube thereby causing alternate expansion and-contrac tions of the fuel. mixture column on its way to the intake of the engine. It is well known that a round column of, gas or vapor 1s difficult to heat throughout because of the poor having a flattened portion at the junction between the riser and spreader arms, the r ser being provided with a contracted portlon formlng a Venturi-tube. Fig. 7 represents a horizontal section on line 7-7 through the spreader arms of Fig. 1. Fig.

8 represents another form in. which the spreader arms, near the outlet ends thereof, are provided with flattened portions. Fig. 9 is a horizontal cross-section of one of the spreader arm ends, of the form shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is another form in which conductivity 'ofa gas. This is more partic-\ the spreader arms as well as the riser are ularly true if the column of gaseous mixture ismoving at a high rate of speed which is the case with the mixtures delivered to the ordinary internal combustion engine when operating at high speed.

I have polnted out in my Fatent No. 1,189,797 that sheeting the mixture and quickly heat a rapidly moving column of gaseous or semi-gaseous fuel mixture. I

have applied the principle to the superheater manifold herein referred to by flatteningshort portions or sections of the tubular conduit and jacketing the same so as to apply heat to both sides of the flattened portions. I have found that with hybrid .mixtures or mixtures of gasolene, kerosene and the like, it is important that the heat he applied in stages, the temperature? being progressively increased, so that a superheated dry gaseous mixture is produced by the time the mixture reaches the intake of the engine. I have also found that in the preliminary formation ofthe mixture, it is essential to thoroughly, atomize the fuel particles in the presence of heat and this is accomplished by inserting a rotating mechanical mixer at the entrance end of the manifold or riser directly in the path of the vapor charged air delivered from the carbure'ter.

In carrying out my invention, it is obvious that various forms of the manifold may be made in order to adapt it to the'requirements of various makes of engines and various types of carbureters and to give satis- 3 is another form in which the junction be-- tween the riser and spreader arms is flattened. Fig. 4 is a central vertical crosssection of the form shown in Fig. 3. Fi s. 5 and 6 represent another form of manifo d form shown in my provided with venturi-like portions as well as with flattened portions, and Fig. 11 represents a horizontal cross-section of one of the spreader arms of the form shown in Fi 10. r

Feferring more particularly to the form shown'in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that my improved super-heater manifold comprises a riser 1, the lower end of which is provided with a flange 2 adapting it to be secured to the outlet end of a carbureter.

the spreader arms 6 so that the conduit is continuous therewith. The spreader arms are represented as extending horizontally but obviously they may extend at any suitable angle that can be required to properly connect them with the intakes of the engine with which the manifold is to be used. indicated in Fi 7 the spreader arms curve rearwardly at to lead to the intakes of the engine and are provided at 8 with flanges adapted to be secured to the engine in the usual or any preferred manner, the object being to conduct the fuel mixture from the carbureter to the intakes of the engine. The object of the flattened portion 5 is to sheet the mixture as it passes this point and I preferably provide a jacket 9 surrounding this flattened. portion and adapted to be connected to the exhaust of the engine by suitable conduits or pipes 10 which will conduct the hot exhaust gases into the jacket 9 where it will completely surround the fiattened portion 5 and heat it on both sides, thereby delivering heat to the sheeted fuel mixture as it passes this point on its way to the intake of the engine. The amount of p or exhaust pipe 11 may be provided for ciroulating hot gases through the jacket 9 or any other suitable means for obtaining the re uired heat, may be adopted. t

s previously pointed out, it is desirable to heat the mixture while it is being churned and atomized by the mechanical mixer 4 and for this purpose I preferably inolose the understood that the particular method of heating the flattened portions of the conduit or the lower end of the riser are not essential,

- so long as the necessary or required amount of heat is supplied. In supplying the proper amount of heat, it should be borne in mind that the temperatures, should step up from heating-stage to heating-stage, that is the temperature of the mixture after it passes the flattened portion 5 should be muchhigher than it is after it passes the lower end of the riser surrounded by the heating jacket 12. By this means I am enabled to produce dry gaseous mixtures'for delivery to the engine even though the liquid fuels used'have different boiling points and therefore vary in volatility.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I show a slight modification of the form shown in Fig. 1. In this the riser 15 is flattened at its upper end 16 and joined to the under side of the spreader arms 17, the appearance being slightly different from that shown in Fig. 1. ig. 1

represents a central cross-section of the form shown in Fig. 3 and the shape of the flat- .tened junction is readily apparent therefrom. The flattened junction 16 is surrounded by a jacket 18 similar to the one surrounding the flattened portion 5 in Fig. 1. The other parts of the manifold construction are substantially .identical withthose shown in Fig. 1 and for identification are given the same reference characters.

Figs. 5-and 6 represent still anotherform of my improved super-heater manifold in which the riser is contracted at 20 to form a venturi-like tube adapted to concentrate the fuel mixture passingthis point. Above this point continuous with the upper end of the riser is a flattened portion 21, similar to that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This flattened portion 21 is united with spreader arms 22 which, as previously pointed out, are

adapted to conduct the fuel mixture to the intakes of the en 'ne. A jacket 23 surrounds the flattens portion 21 in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The lower end of the riser section is provided with a jacket 12 and mixer 4 substantially identical with that shown in tening bein I heated on both Fig. 1, Similar parts of the device are identified by the same characters as corresponding parts shown 1 of the drawings.

i The form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is in part similar to that shown 'in Fig. 3 but in addition has flattened portions near the ends of v the spreader arms. The riser 25 is flattened at'26 where it is united with the spreader arms 27 in the manner substantiall similar:

to that shown in Fig. 4 of the rawings. The ends of the spreader arms 27 at 28 are flattened to form j a sheeting section, the fiatgi-n vertical plane substantially asshownin Figs. 8 and 9.. A jacket 29 surrounds each of the flattened portions 28, whereby these portions are adapted to be sides. The flattened junctlon 26 between the riser and spreader arms 1s also surrounded by a jacket 30 corresponding to the jacket 18 of F ig. 3. The lower end of the riser 25 is surrounded by-a jacket 12 substantially identical with that shown in F i 1, this as well as other similar parts, being identified by the same characters as the corresponding parts in Fig. 1.

' It will be understood that various connections between the exhaust 'pipe of the engine and the various heating jackets may be made in order to get therequir'ed amount of heat in the respective jackets. I have found that the best results are obtained by progres sively heating the moving column of mixture or heating it in stages, the temperature at the successive stages, being increased toward the intake of the engine thereby producing a super-heated dry gaseous mixture I for delivery to the engine which I have found will remain intake and compression strokes and will fire completely when the ignition spark is applied.

In Fig. 8, I have shown one method of connecting the several jackets but obviously other methods to obtain the required results may be used. In the connection shown in Fig. 8 the pipe or tube 31 is'adapted to be connected with the exhaust of the engine and conduct therefrom a certain portion of the hot gases which will pass through the tube 32 to the two jackets 29. From these jackets, by means of the tube 33, the hot gases are conducted to and through the inlet tube 34 into the jacket 30 and from this jacket through a tube 35 to the jacket 12 about the lower end of the riser 25 and from this jacket through the pipe 14 to the open rangement, it will be seen that when the gases are hottest they are-applied to the fiattened portions 28 at the ends of the spreader arms and then after the gases have given up some of their heat they will enter the jacket 30 and heat the flattened junction on both sides after which they are conducted to the gaseous throughout the.

,air or to any point desired. By this arjacket 12 at the lower end of the riser there to heat the atomizing .or churning means.

. Thus the temperatures are raised from have found that dissociation or breaking down of the several liquid molecules does not take place but all of the liquid particles of various boiling points are gradually vaporized and heated to a very high temperature and are adapted to retain their gaseous form after they enter. the cylinder of the engine. This particularly desirable product gives the greatest efficiency in heat unlts and power'delivery because it is completely exploded at or near thetop of the compression strike. There is no loss of compression heat in merely partially vaporizing condensed liquid particles such as occurs in wet mixture methods. In Figs. 10 and 11, I have shown still another modification embodying the use of venturi-like contractions alternating with flattened portions or sections in the manifold. In this form the riser is contracted at 36 to form a Venturitube leadin into the flattened joint section 37 the lat er corresponding substantially given the same reference characters.

to the form shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Obviously, however, the form shown in Figs. 1 and 5 may be used if desired. The spreader arms 38 are each contracted at 39 to form venturi-like tubes leading into flattened portions 40 at or near the ends of the spreader'arms substantially as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. In this form I have shown the flattened sections 40 as horizontal and surrounded by jackets 4:1adapted to heat the same. A jacket 42 surrounds the flat tened junction 37 forheating the same and a jacket 12 correspondin to the jacket shown in Fig. 1 about the ower end of the riser is provlded in the form shown in Fig. 10, the other parts of this form corresponding with similar parts shown in Fig. 1 age s previously stated with reference to the form shown in Fig. 8 the jackets may be heated in any suitable manner by pipes or tubes leading from the exhaust of the engine. Connections for leading. the exhaust gases through the jackets shown in Fig. 10 of. the drawing are substantially the same as those shown 1n Fig. 8 and corresponding parts are given similar reference characters for identification.

Treating the mixture from the carburetor in the manner described, the action'of m improved super-heater manifold has the ef- I a, temperature that-upon the compression stroke it will retain its gaseous character and become heated to a higher temperature, thereby facilitating the rapid firing of the same when the ignition spark passes. It

will be'seen that the first treatment of the mixture is given by the mechanical mixer {l which has the effect of atomizing and churning the particles of liquid fuel and thoroughly mixing them with the air. From this point in the form shown in Figs. 5 and 10, the mixture is drawn out or compressed in order to pass through the venturi-like contraction and then permitted to expand slightly into the flattened junction between the riser and spreader arms. Here it is heated on both sides, the temperature maintained being higher than that about the mechanical mixer or atomizer section at the lower end of the riser. From the flattened junction the mixture is conducted through the spreader arm or arms on its way toward the intake of the engine and in the form shown in Figs. 10 and 11 is again drawn out and compressed by passing through the venturi-like section 39, after which it is again permitted to expand slightly into the flattened section 40 at the end of the spreader arms. Here the sheeted mixture is again heated on both sides, the temperature preferably being still higher than that applied to the flattened junction between the riser and spreader arms, but not. high enough to break down the molecular structure of the fuel mixture or to cause preignition. From this point it is led into the cylinder of the engine at a high temperature which is sufficient to maintain the gaseous form of mixture throughout the suction stroke. The compression stroke will act to increase the temperature of the mixture so that, as previously pointed out, when the mixture is fired, it will be immediately and completely burned. When a fuel mixture of this character is used, the engine cylinder, spark plugs and other parts are entirely free of carbon deposits and hence there is increased efficiency and less wear on the engine.

I have shown several forms of my improved sup'erheating manifold but obviously various combinations of these forms or other modifications may be-made tomeet the requirements of different varieties of engines or in connection withcombustion chambers for other purposes and for use in connection with different mixtures of hydrocarbon fuels or hybrid mixtures thereof.

For this reason I do not wish to be limited to the specific forms shown, but wish it understood that any form of super-heating manifold employing flattened sections or other means adapted to sheet the mixture and heat it on both sides alternating with round portions or in conjunction with atomizing and kneading means for the fuel my apparatus may be adapted.

I claim;

1. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines, extending between the carbureter and intake of the engine, comprising a conduit of alternate round and thinly, flattened portions and jackets and pipe connections whereby the exhaust gases are utilized for heating the flattened por-- tions uniformly on both sides, the flattened portions and said jackets'and pipe connections being so connected and proportioned that the heating temperatures at succeeding flattened portions are progressively higher toward the intake of the engine.

2. A superheater manifold comprising a riser having spreader arms to conduct fuel mixture between the carbureter and the intakes of the engine, provided with a thinly flattened portion located between said riser and the intakes of the engine, for sheeting the mixture in passing from the riser to the respective intakes, and means for heating said flattened portion so as to raise the tem perature of the sheeted mixture uniformly throughout.

3. A superheater manifold comprising a riser having spreader arms leading to the intakes of the engine, a thinly flattenedportion at the junction between said riser and spreader arms, thinly flattened portions in said spreader arms between saidv junction and the outlet ends of the arms, and jackets and pipe connections for utilizing the exhaust gases for heating said flattened portions uniformly on both sides, said jackets and pipe connections being so connected and proportioned that the flattenedportions in said spreader arms are maintained at a higher temperature than the flattened portion at said junction. 1

4. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines, comprising a'co' duit provided with a thinly flattened portio and a venturi-like portion through whi' mixture passes in succession, and means whereby said flattened portion heated uniformly on both sides.

5. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines, comprising, as a continuous conduit, round venturi-like portions alternating with portions for thinly sheeting the mixture, and means for heating said sheeting portions in a manner to uniformly raise the temperature 'of the mixture throughout.

6. A superheater manifold for internal deliver combustion engines, comprising a riser and spreader arms provided with a thinly sheeted portion at the junction between the riser and spreader arms, said riser having a venturi-like contraction below said flattened portion, and means for heating said flattened portion 011 both sides, in a manner to raise the temperature of the mixture uniformly.

7. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines comprising a riser and spreader arms provided with venturi-like contractions alternating with thinly flattened portions, the flattened portions being at the junction between the, riser and spreader arms and near the ends of the spreader arms, and means for heating both sides of said flattened portions, said heating means being so connected and proportioned that the tem erature at the flattened portions in sai spreader arms is relatively higher than at said junction, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines, comprising a riser and spreader arms provided with portions for thinly sheeting the mixture, said sheeting portions alternating with round portions, and means for heating said sheeting portions uniformly on both sides, said sheeting portions and the heating means being so proportioned as to progressively raise the temperature .of the mixture, uniformly throughout, and maintain it above the boiling points of the fuel constituents, whereby the manifold is adapted for delivering a superheated di'y gaseous mixture to the engine.

9. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines comprising a riser and spreader arms, means for heating a portion of said riser, means cooperating with the heated portion of said riser for homogeneously vaporizing the mixture, flattened portions in said manifold for thinly sheeting the mixture and means for heating both sides of said flattened portions to uniformly raise the temperature of the mixture throughout, the heating temperatures increaslng progressively toward the intakes of the engine until the final temperature is sufficient to maintain the mixture at a temperature above the boiling points of the fuel constituents, whereby a homogeneous, superheated dry gaseous mixture is produced for to the engine.

10. superheater manifold for internal combustion engines, comprising a riser with spreader arms, a portion of said riser being contracted toform a venturi-like tube, the riser below said Venturi-tube being heated,

means coiiperating with said heated portion of the riser for homogeneously vaporizing the-mixture, thinly flattened portions for sheeting the mixture, alternating with round portions in said manifold, 1ackets and pipe connections for utillzmg the exhaust gases for heating the rlser below said Venturi-tube portion and for heating each of said flattened portions, said jackets and pipe connections being so connected and proportioned that the relative temperatures of the portions'heated increase progresslvely toward the intakes of the engine, the final temperature being such as to raise and mamtain the temperature of the mixture above the boiling points of the fuel constltuents, whereby a superheated dry gaseous mixture is produced for delivery to the engine.

11. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines, comprising a pluralityof portions for-thinly sheeting the mixture, alternating with round ortlons between the carbureter and intake 0 the engine, for successively changing the shapeof the column of mixture and thereby kneadlng the m1xture on itsway to the engme, and means for progressively heating predetermmed portions of the mamfold for rals ng the temperature of the mixture unlformly throughout, above the boihng po1nts of the fuel constituents for producing a superheated dry gaseousmixture for delivery to the engine.

12. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines, comprising a plurality of portions for thinly sheeting the mlxture alternating with round venturi-like portlons between the carbureter and intake of the engine, for successively chang1ng the shape and speed of the column of mixture an thereby kneading the mixture on 1ts way to the engineyand means for heating successive sheeting portions progressively toward the intake to raise the temperature of the mixture uniformly throughout for producing a superheated dry gaseous mixture for delivery to the engine.

13. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines, comprising a riser and spreader arms having alternate thinly flattened and round portions for successively changing the shape of the column of mixture and thereby kneading the mixture on I its way to the engine, means for heating a portion of said riser, means cooperating therewith for homogeneously vaporizing and diffusing the mixture,'and meansfor heating the successive flattened portions progressively toward the intake of the en glne for raising the temperature of the mixture above the boiling points of the fuel constituents and producing a superheated, homogeneous, dry gaseous mixture for delivery to the engine. i

14. A superheater manifold for internal combustion engines, comprising a riser and spreader arms having alternate round venturi-like portions and thinly flattened portions for successively changing the shape and speed of the column of mixture and thereby kneading the mixture on its way to the engine, means for heating a portion of said riser, means cooperating therewith for homogeneously vaporizing and diffusing the mixture, and means for heating the successive flattened portions progressively toward the intakes of the engine for raising the temperature of the mixture above the boiling points of the fuel constituents, and producing a superheated, homogeneous dry gaseous mixture for deliver to the engine.

15. A superheater mani old forming a conduit for the mixture between the proportioning device and the combustion chamber of a heat or power unit, provided with jackets and pipe connections for utilizing the products of combustion for simultaneously and progressively raising the temperature of the mixture throughout the mass, the relative dimensions of the parts and the distribution of the heat being so proportioned and coordinated as to develop temperatures throughout the mass of the fuel mixture such as to produce, maintain and deliver to the combustion chamber a mixture having the properties of a homogeneous dry gas.

16. A superheater manifold forming the passage between the proportioning device and the combustion chamber of a heat or power unit, provided with jackets and pipe connections for utilizing the products of combustion for progressively heating the mixture and cooperative means for rendering the mixture homogeneous in the presence of heat applied, the heat being a plied along the passage in a manner to uni ormly raise the temperature of the mixture throughout above the boiling points of the fuel constituents, and for superheating, maintaining and delivering to the heat or power unit a mixture having the properties of a homogeneous dry gas.

17. A superheater manifold forming the passage between the proportioning device and the combustion chamber of a heat or power unit, comprising round portions and portions for thinly sheeting the mixture and jackets and pi e connections for utilizing the products 0 combustion for homogeneously and progressively heating the mixture throughout and raising its temperature above the boiling points of the fuel constituents, the shape and proportions of the passage and the size and length of the jackets and pipe connections to produce the successive heating temperatures being so selected and coordinated as to produce, maintain and deliver to the heat or power unit a mixture having the molecular, chemical and physical properties of a homogeneous dry gas in the superheated state.

WILLIAM P DEPPE. 

